Itsuko Naka: The Beauty We Almost Walked Past

Sometimes, discovering an artist is a matter of perfect timing.

We first came across Itsuko Naka while scrolling through Instagram during one of our trips to Japan. Her illustrations immediately caught our attention, they felt fresh, delicate and wonderfully peaceful. There was something about the way she painted birds, flowers and little woodland scenes that made us stop scrolling.

We decided to contact her, without really knowing what to expect. To our surprise, it turned out that she was holding a small pop-up event not far from where we were staying in Nara, in a store/cafe called iro to iro.

Finding the location in the winding streets of old Nara became an adventure of its own...

The pop-up was not in a large department store or a gallery, but tucked away inside a charming little café in the centre of Nara. We wandered through narrow streets, checked Google maps more than once and wondered if we had taken the wrong turn. Just when we were about to give up, there it was: a minute café filled with beautiful stationery and behind the counter, the artist herself.

Meeting Itsuko Naka in that intimate setting made us appreciate her work even more.

Originally from Kyoto, she creates her illustrations using an almost entirely handmade process. She paints sheets of paper, carefully cuts each shape by hand and assembles them into delicate collages before turning them into postcards, washi tapes, calendars and stickers.

What we love most about her work is the way she looks at nature, she does not search for dramatic landscapes or exotic animals. Instead, she finds beauty in the things we often walk past without noticing: a small bird resting on a branch, wildflowers growing beside a path, berries, leaves, quiet seasonal details.

Her illustrations do not reinvent nature, they simply encourage us to look at it with fresh eyes. That feeling of freshness is the element that drew us to her work from the very beginning. Her colours are gentle without ever feeling faded, her compositions are simple but never empty. Every drawing seems to carry a quiet sense of joy in nature, reminding us that beauty can often found in the smallest moments and the simplest things.

Looking back, we are grateful that a simple Instagram discovery led us down the winding streets of Nara to that little café. This meeting was not just the beginning of our admiration for Itsuko Naka’s work, it became one of those travel memories that stays with you long after you return home.

At Nomado Store, that is exactly why we love sharing her creations, they remind us that the most beautiful discoveries are often the ones you never planned to make and that these small but precious experiences are the secret ingredients that make trips special.

See the collection here.